Jadav Payeng helped a Brahmaputra sandbar near Majuli, Assam, develop into the forest commonly called Molai Forest or Mulai Kathoni. His achievement is best understood as decades of planting and stewardship—not as proof that he planted every tree alone or that the forest has a precisely surveyed current area.
Payeng’s persistence is part of a wider history of forestry on Majuli’s sandbars. The Assam Government documents departmental plantation work across the region, which should not be confused with the forest associated specifically with Payeng.
How Payeng’s work began
The TED page for Payeng’s September 2018 TEDxIIMAmritsar talk says his planting effort began in 1979, after floods and droughts damaged the land. The page describes him resolving to plant daily; that account should not be taken as a verified count of uninterrupted daily planting.
Sanctuary Nature Foundation’s profile says more than 100 snakes died on the exposed sandbar during a flood. In its account, Payeng began planting bamboo and local saplings there. These origin details come from the foundation’s profile, rather than a current ecological survey.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
His work was long-term care as well as planting. In 2018, TED attributed this statement to Payeng: “Cut me before you cut my trees.”
A forest shaped by more than one person
Payeng is closely associated with the forest, but the broader record shows that forestry work also took place across Majuli. The Government of Assam says a Social Forestry Forest Range Office was established there in 1985 to raise plantations along roads, embankments, and sandbars.
The district administration reports 745 hectares of department-raised plantations in the Chapories, apart from roadside trees. This is a district-wide figure, not a measurement of Molai Forest. It provides regional context, but does not establish how much of Payeng’s associated forest was planted by him, government workers, or other people.
How large is Molai Forest?
Published figures describe different things and should not be combined into one current area estimate. TED’s 2018 talk page reports 1,390 acres of woodland cover after 39 years and says Payeng aimed to reach 5,000 acres. Those are historical claims presented on the talk page, not a current forest-specific survey.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Figure | Source and date | What it describes |
|---|---|---|
| 1,390 acres | TED talk page, 2018 | Reported woodland cover after 39 years; not a current surveyed measurement |
| 5,000 acres | TED talk page, 2018 | Payeng’s stated aim, not an achieved area |
| 745 hectares | Majuli District Administration, page last updated April 6, 2022 | Department-raised plantations across the Chapories, not Molai Forest alone |
The Majuli district page also reports 33 named sandbars, with additional smaller sandbars. The forest’s riverine setting and the differing scope of these figures are reasons not to present any one of them as its definitive current size.
Forest and wildlife in the Majuli region
The Government of Assam describes Majuli as a landscape of sandbars, wetlands called beels or dubies, and varied plant and animal life. This is district-level context, not a census of species currently living in Molai Forest.
Rank #3
Sanctuary Nature Foundation says rhinos and tigers have found refuge in the forest associated with Payeng’s work. Treat this as the foundation’s account, not as evidence of current numbers or a formal wildlife survey.
Recognition and a book for children
Sanctuary Nature Foundation notes that Payeng received its 2012 Wildlife Service Award. The TED page says photojournalist Jitu Kalita helped bring Payeng’s work to wider attention in autumn 2007.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
For younger readers, Pratham Books published Jadav and the Tree-Place by Vinayak Varma, a children’s book about Payeng making forests. Pratham Books’ store listing was marked out of stock when checked.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
How did Jadav Payeng help turn a sandbar into a forest?
He planted and cared for bamboo and local saplings on Brahmaputra sandbar land over many years. The forest is associated with his sustained stewardship, alongside broader forestry activity in Majuli.
Did Jadav Payeng plant the entire forest by himself?
The available sources support describing Payeng as a long-term planter and steward, but they do not establish that he planted every tree alone. The Assam Government separately documents plantation activity across Majuli’s Chapories.
How big is Molai Forest today?
The supplied sources do not give a current forest-specific survey. TED’s 2018 page reports 1,390 acres after 39 years, while the Assam district page reports 745 hectares of government plantations across the Chapories; these figures have different dates and scopes.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsBest Value
Where is the forest associated with Payeng?
It is on Brahmaputra sandbar land near Majuli, Assam, and is commonly called Molai Forest or Mulai Kathoni.
What is the difference between Molai Forest and the 745-hectare figure?
The 745-hectare figure on the Majuli District Administration page refers to department-raised plantations across the Chapories, apart from roadside trees. It is not a measured area for Molai Forest.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
